Apparatus for cleaning out conduits and the like



Nov. 4', 1930. J. c. MIL LER 1580,4395

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OUT CONDUITS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 15, 1928 A particular object Patente d Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN. G. IILLEB, -OIOHIGAGO, ILLINOIS Arrm'rus 103 me our cozmorrs .mn mm mm:

Application filed October 18, 1928. Serial 1%. 813,312.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning out conduits and the like, such as' flues in furnaces and the water passagewa s in sinks, flushing bowls, and the like. t 6 has, for one of its objects, providing a long flexible device, with some cleaning means attached to its ends, arranged'so that the clean-' ing means can be forced inwardly long distancesthrough circuitous passageways for 10 cleaning the passageways out or for removing obstacles from the passageways, either by forcing them inwardly or, more particularly, by attaching the device to the obstacle and pulling it outwardly.

of this invention is to provide means for cleaning out the passageways and, particularly," the sealing traps of flushing bowls, and for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it is shown as used for that purpose. It;is to be understood, however, that it may be used for various other purposes, such asthose specified above.

Of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation'ofa device which embodies the features of my invention, showing it applied to the cleaning of a toilet flushing bowl Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the device itself; Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of cleaning device which may be, used; Fig. 4 is a view showing a further modification'of the cleaning-attachment; and Fig. 5 is a section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Inigeneral, my invention comprises a long coil of wire 10, which is used for the purpose of forcing the cleaning attachment into the passageways. The attachment 11 shown is more particularly applicable to the removal of obstacles from the passageway. In this case, the attachment is a coil of wire which has some hooking means 12 fixed to the end, the coil itself being attached to the end of the flexible coil 10 and the coil 11 having its adjacent sections spread so as to form a worm which will screw into the passageway as the coil 10 is rotated.

The coil 10 may be used merely with the cleaning attachment by forcing and screwing it into the passageway, such as the water passageway 13 0f the flushing bowl 14; and

1t is particularly valuable when used in this way with flues or passageways which are circuitous. However, the cleaning device is often much more effectively used when it is used in connection, with the means which I have provided for holding the coil as it is" being manipulated. It will be understood that, as the attachment is being worked into the passageway by the coil, the coil is rotated so as to give a twistin motion to the attach- .ment, and this materially assists in forcing the attachment into the passageways and also in cleaning the passageways and in catching any obstacle which may be in the passageway. But to manipulate the coil in this manner, I find it desirable to have some means of providing a bearing for the support and rotation of the coil.

When used with flushing bowls the means which I provide for a bearing for the coil comprises aboard 20 which, preferabl is made to cover the top of the bowl. lso, preferably, it has a lid 16 hinged to the board 20- which can be raised as desired. For

sanitary purposes, I prefer to keep the bowl entirely covered in this way. Passing through the board 20 is a pipe 17 having a bend 18 on its lower end adapted to be passed under the edge of the wall 15 which forms the outer end of the passageway. To protect the wall, I provide on the bend, a'rubber tube 19. In adjusting the apparatus to the bowl,

, the board is placed over the bowl and the pipe 17 is pushed downwardly until the-end 18 is hooked onto the wall, the springs 26 yieldingly holding the pipe and board snugly in position. I then screw downwardly the nut 21 by means of handles 22, or by any other suitable means. I prefer to use cushioning means, such as the springs 27 and 23 above and below the board 20, but these may be omitted if desired. The nut 21 is screwed down firmly on the board 20 if the springs are omitted, and if the springs are used, it may be screwed down as snugly as may be desired. When thus supported, the pipe 17 forms a support or bearing for the coil 10, and the operator is able to force the coil downwardly through the pipe 17 and the bend 18 and around through the passageways of the bowl,- and he is also able to conveniently ,rotate the coil as it is being pushed down. To. facilicoil.

tate these operations, however, I rovide a handle 24 which is slipped over t e coil 10 and has-a set screw 25, by meansof which the handle ma be firmly set on the coil wherever desired. nasmuch as a long coil is'frequently desired, it is convenient to slip the handle 24 well inwardly on the coil, until it approaches the tube 17. The operator then can more conveniently force the coil into the tube and also rotate it at the same time. After the coil has been forced in until the handle reaches the pipe 17, the handle may be released and slipped outwardly on the coil and the operation repeated. Ihe set screw 25 is positioned near one end ofthe handle, passing through a ferrule 38 and is screwed into a nut 37 set in the wood of the-handle, thus forming a strong thread for holding the screw.

In carrying out the operation,if it is desired merely to clean the passageway, the coil n be forced inwardly and rotated as much as is desired and, in this way, substantially all portions of the wall of the passageway will be cleaned. For some such purposes, however, I prefer to provide a cleaning attachment 30 instead of the attachment 11. By any suitable means, such as the coupling 33, the attachment 30 may be fixed to the coil 10. This may be done after the attachment 11 is removed. Or, if desired, the entire coil 10 and attachment 11 may be removed from the support andreversed and the attachment 30 may then be fixed to the inner end of the coil. This attachment comprises a brush 31 and wire hook means 32, the brush being adapted to clean the walls of the passageway and the hooks 32 being adapted to catch onto any obstacle. which may be in the passageway.

Also, I provide an attachment 35 which comprises a larger brush 36 made in the form of a worm, so that it will screw inwardly along the passageways at the same time that it cleans ofi the walls. The coupling 39 may be used for fastening the attachment 35 to the But I prefer for either attachment the coupling 33, which comprises a short coil having one end fixed to the axis of the brush and the other end screwed over the end of the coil 10. This coupling 33 is flexible and, hence,

will pass around corners without hindrance.

It will be seen that these attachments, while ada ted to different purposes, may all be used with the same apparatus which has been herein described, or with modifications thereof that would be obvious to one skilled in the art. For instance, in cleaning flues of boilers or hot air furnaces, an attachment BO or 35, adapted to the size of the flues or the like, can be used with the flexible Eoil 10; and the tube 17 or other supporting means may be used if dmired. It will be understood that, when cleaning such flues, the hook 18 of the pipe17 would be attached to any convenient project'ion and the board 20 would be adapted to a.

particular use; but, in general, the tube 17 could be used as a bearing for the flexible coil or, when desired, the coil could be used without any such bearing.

The upper side of the board 20 is-provided with a plate 28 preferably fixed to the board, and the plate and board have a slot 29 which allows the tube 17 to be tilted in the board to conform to various conditions. The coil 10 is preferably made of any suitable fine wire. But various modifications may be made in the details of the devices b art without .departing rom the spirit of my invention as disclosed by the following claims.

' I claim as my invention:

1. A flushin bowl cleaner comprising an elongated flexi 1e coil adapted to pass into the water passageway of said bowl, a cleaning attachment fixed to'one end of the coil, and supporting means for the coil, said means comprising a plate adapted to rest on the top of the open bowl, 9. tube slidably and tiltably passing through the plate, a hook on the lower end of the tube adapted to hook onto the bowl, and a nut threaded onto said tube above said plate.

2. A flushing bowl cleaner as claimed in claim 1, and comprising yielding resilient means arranged to resist relative movement of said tube and plate. V

3. A flushingv bowl cleaner as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a spring connected to said tube and to the lower side of said plate, tending to pull said tube upwardly when it is hooked onto said bowl.

4. A flushing bowl cleaner as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a coil spring positiloned on said tube between said nut and said p ate. K

5. A flushing bowl cleaner as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a spring fixed to the lower side of said plate and to said tube, tending to pull said tube upwardly when it is hooked onto said bowl, and a spring on said tube between said nut and plate.

- 6. A flushing bowl cleaner as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a stop on said tube beneath said plate, and a coil spring between said nut and said plate, and a. coil spring bethose skilled in the coil, said means comprising a ferrule and a nut positioned between said coil and said ferrule, and a screw passin through said ferrule and screwed into sai nut.

8. A flushin bowl cleaner comprisingan elongated fiexi le coil adapted to pass into the water passageway of a flushing bowl, a

cleaning attachment fixed to one end of the coil, supporting means for the coil, said means comprising a plate adapted to rest on the top of the open bowl, a tube slida-bly passing through the plate, a hook on the lower end of the tube adapted to hook onto the bowl, and means for holding said tube from moving inwardly relative to saidplate when the tube is hooked onto the bowl.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN C. MILLER. 

